ORSAM WATER BULLETIN Longest Water Pipeline Being Built … · Page 1 Issue 122 ORSAM WATER...

Issue 122

ORSAM WATER BULLETIN

01 April 2013 07 April 2013

Turks have high Profile in Global Water Institutions

Longest Water Pipeline Being Built in Turkey, Zaman Says

Northern Cyprus Sees Hope in Water Pipeline

Mideast Region Must Address Water Concerns

Iraqs historic Lake Sawa suffers from neglect

Fifteen new dams to come on stream in Iran

Ahmadinejad Inaugurates Large Dam in Northeastern Iran

Iran: More farmers' protests over water shortages

25% Rise in Water Reserves of Dams

Syria refugees draining water resources in Jordan: Aid group

Will Syrias Refugee Crisis Drain Jordan of Its Water?

Iraq Energy Profile: Has Surpassed Iran In Producing Crude Oil

'Israel cuts water to Palestinian villages'

Entrepreneurs Take on MENA's Water and Energy Challenges

St. Agatha Academy students argue case for Palestinian's water rights

Palestinians building $1.5bn settlement - without water

Egypt: Israel responsible for sewage on Sinai coast

JD5.5 million project to rehabilitate Karaks water network

$108m project to revamp Zarqa water network launched

Cairo, Khartoum cooperating on Nile issue: Sudanese FM

Egypts Morsi says no Nile River crisis, fears abound

Egypt Wants to Fortify Ties with Sudan

Qat in the middle

Water rationing to stay: WRA

Septage: Keralas Looming Sanitation Challenge

Political risk deters action to avert famine report

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/iran-protests/13281-iran-more-farmers-protests-over-water-shortages.html

Ending Open Defecation, Not by Evidence Alone

China dams wont affect flow to India

China projects not to affect Brahmaputra's flow: Rawat

Environmentalists struggle to stop Chinese dam project

Indian states fight over river usage

Check dams to recharge water table

One river, two countries, too many dams

Rethinking Food Security: the Right to Food in the Mekong

Mekong region facing six degree-warming, climate extremes

ADB - Asian Development Bank: Mekong Countries Seek Greater Cooperation on

Green Agriculture

Climate change to affect Mekong production

Laos: Development wins; human rights, environment lose

Water use rife with externalities, use conflicts

Waterpod solution to desert nomads water woes

Top water issues focus for Dubai summit

Saudi Water Signs Contract to Treat Industrial Wastewater

Amazon tribe threatens to declare war amid row over Brazilian dam project

Blocked Migration: Fish Ladders On U.S. Dams Are Not Effective

Turks have high profile in global water institutions

As is well known, both the quality and the quantity of water resources are adversely affected by the

fast-growing population of the world, climate change, increasing urbanization and the development

of agriculture and industry.

There is a total of 1.4 billion cubed kilometers of water in the world and 97.4 percent of this amount

is salt water while only 2.6 percent is fresh water. The majority of the fresh water is located in the

polar regions.

Water availability becomes more and more important every single day, and especially so in arid

regions. The establishment of institutes and organizations focusing on water studies started in the

1970s in conjunction with a general emphasis on environmental policies to preserve water resources

and ensure their efficient use. The earliest were large international organizations such as the United

Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the World Bank and the United Nations Environment

Programme. Some of the other principal international organizations that specialize in this area are the

International Water Resources Association (IWRA), established in 1971; the International Water

Management Institute (IWMI) and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). The IWRA is

a leading, reliable, education and development-oriented, international non-profit, non-political and

nongovernmental organization well known for improving understanding on water issues and as a

defender of the management of the worlds water resources in general. The IWRAs goals include

addressing problems related to international water resources as well as building and enhancing

related partnerships and mechanisms.

In addition, the World Water Council was established in 1996 -- four years after the 1992 Rio Earth

Summit -- along with the Global Water Partnership (GWP), which was established in the same year

jointly by the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Swedish

International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The mission of the World Water Council,

which is known as an international policy think tank, is to ensure global sustainability of critical life

resources and the protection, development, planning, management and use of water in all its

dimensions with the aim of promoting awareness of the fair use of water at the highest decision-

making level. Moreover, the World Water Council organizes the World Water Forum every three

years. Turkey hosted the World Water Forum successfully in 2009 in stanbul and this achievement

was followed by the creation of the stanbul International Water Forum, held every two years. The

first of these was organized in 2009 and the second in 2011. The aim of the stanbul International

Water Forum is to provide a platform for more cooperation and coordination among international and

local water stakeholders in Turkey and around Turkey in order to address regional water issues more

deeply and come up with joint solutions.

Due to its geography and water resources, Turkey is one of the countries at the forefront when it

comes to water studies and trans-boundary water resources in particular. A regional development

project, the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), realized by Turkey in the Euphrates and Tigris

basin, known in history as Upper Mesopotamia, is one of the main issues on the agenda within the

scope of water studies.

Engineers, specialists, officials and other professionals from Turkey have begun to take on important

roles at these institutions that shape the worlds water agenda and policies. Dr. Olcay nver, GAP

Regional Development Agency director from 1991 to 2003, has been working as UN World Water

Assessment Programme coordinator since May 22, 2007. The World Water Assessment Programme

was established in order to ensure coordination among institutions within and outside the UN on the

management of world water resources. In addition, this organization prepares the World Water

Development reports as well.

Turkey more active in worlds water agenda, policies

Professor Doan Altnbilek became the president of the executive board of the International Water

Resources Association as of Jan. 1, 2013, for the 2013-2015 term. Professor Altnbilek, who also

served as president of the International Hydropower Association (IHA) from 2004 to 2008, was also

a member of the executive board of IHA from 2002 until Feb. 15, 2013, and he is still an honorary

member. Professor Altnbilek organized the International Hydropower Association World Congress

in 2007 in Antalya, in which former President and Prime Minister Sleyman Demirel also

participated. In addition, Professor Altnbilek was elected vice president of the bureau of the board of

governors of the World Water Council (WWC) for a two-year term beginning in 2013. In the same

elections, Dr. Akif zkald, general director of the State Waterworks Authority (DS), and rfan Aker

from Dolsar Engineering were elected to serve as governors on the board, and Haluk Bykba,

secretary-general of the Turkish Contractors Association, was elected to be an alternate governor, to

name just a few of those representing Turkey in this international assembly. The WWC is the agency

that organized the 5th World Water Forum in stanbul. The Turkish Water Institute, which took part

in organizing the forum as well, serves as an observer on the board of governors of the WWC for

three years until 2018. In light of this information, one can easily say that Turkey has a strong level

of representation on the WWC.

On Nov. 2, 2011, the Turkish Water Institute (SUEN) was established. The priority of SUEN, the

most recent actor in Turkish water management policy, is to guide and monitor water studies for the

future; to develop the short-term and long-term water management strategy of our country and to

ensure coordination among institutions and organizations working for water management. In

addition, as one of the organizers of the 5th World Water Forum, SUEN represents our country at

international water events. The president of SUEN, Professor Ahmet Mete Saati, is the term

president of the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO)-Europe and SUEN serves as

the secretariat for the European INBO conference, as well.

In 2012, Dr. Hseyin Gndodu was elected vice president of the International Commission on

Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), a nongovernmental organization established in 1950. ICID is a

scientific and technical organization working on the issues of irrigation and drainage, techniques for

efficient and productive irrigation, improving water and increasing the efficiency of water use as well

as disseminating these developments throughout the world. ICID cooperates with water-related

institutions in cooperating countries, which in Turkey is the DS.

There are experts from our country participating in the work of these institutions which play an

important role in the protection and efficient use of water resources as well as shaping global

environmental policies. This has eliminated the shortcoming of not having experts in the

management of these institutions from our country, which is significant because trans-boundary

water resources are a critical element of foreign policy. This shortcoming previously meant that

Turkey could not take part as a decision-maker in drafting legal texts on water and that Turkey had

difficulties explaining its case on water to the world. Now, taking part in the work of these

institutions will provide the opportunity for Turkey to promote its experience and its knowledge of

water policies widely and in a more efficient manner so that they can be used extensively. Turkish

experts experience and participation in international organizations devoted to water issues will be

key to establishing new water policies.

Turks have high profile in global water institutions, 07/04/2013, Tuba Evrim Maden, online at:

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-311878-turks-have-high-profile-in-global-water-institutions.html

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http://www.todayszaman.com/news-311878-turks-have-high-profile-in-global-water-institutions.html

Longest Water Pipeline Being Built in Turkey, Zaman Says

Turkey is working to finish a 9,300- kilometer (5,800-mile) water pipeline in the Harran Plain that

when done later this year will be the worlds longest, the Todays Zaman newspaper reported.

The pipeline in southeastern Turkey, most of it installed 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) underground, is part of

the 200 million- lira ($111 million) Harran Plain Closed Drainage Project, the paper said, citing

Gursel Kusek, an official from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.

Kusek told the paper that the project is taking place to help address high levels of total dissolved

solids in the shallow groundwater due to logging, irrigation, rising water tables and drainage

problems.

Longest Water Pipeline Being Built in Turkey, Zaman Says, 04/04/2013, online at:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-04/longest-water-pipeline-being-built-in-turkey-zaman-says.html

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Northern Cyprus Sees Hope in Water Pipeline

ISTANBUL Even as the Cypriot government struggles to ward off financial disaster, the

authorities in the northern part of the divided island are quietly pushing ahead with a project to link

their territory, physically and economically, more closely with Turkey, their powerful neighbor and

protector.

Under the ambitious project, expected to cost at least 1 billion Turkish lire, or $550 million, Turkey

would sell water to the northern sector, which it calls the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, using

an experimental technology: a pipeline in the Mediterranean Sea.

The pipeline is under construction, scheduled to start delivering Anamur River water from Turkeys

southern province of Mersin next March. But environmental experts question the sustainability of

transferring water out of its natural basin, and outside engineers are watching to see how the

government project works out in practice.

The project calls for Turkey to transfer 75 million cubic meters, or 19.8 billion gallons, of water a

year to Northern Cyprus.

The transfer agreement between Turkey and Northern Cyprus is valid for 30 years and can be

renewed for an additional 5 years, said Ayhan Taskin, director of water supply at the Turkish State

Hydraulic Works. The water will be collected at the new Alakopru Dam, transferred via the undersea

pipeline, then deposited into a reservoir behind the Gecitkoy Dam, also new, near the coastal city of

Girne.

Transfers of water from one basin to another and other engineering projects are favored by some

governments as a quick-fix solution to meet growing demand in drier regions. Proposals for such

projects are on the rise, but environmentalists say there are alternatives, including the ability to

increase conservation and recycling before turning to these long-distance transfers. Water use

worldwide in the 20th century grew at more than twice the rate of the global population, according to

a U.N. report in 2011.

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/turkey/index.html?inline=nyt-geo

Denis Landenbergue, freshwater program manager for World Wildlife Fund International in Gland,

Switzerland, said by telephone last month that the group applied a precautionary approach to these

kinds of projects.

Such projects have actually been shown to increase demand for water rather than satiate it. Consider

the Tagus-Segura pipeline, running 286 kilometers, or 178 miles, that opened in Spain in 1978.

The water it delivered to the Segura region led to an expansion of irrigated land and urban

development on the coast, according to a WWF report on water transfers. The pipeline multiplied

the initial water deficit that it was supposed to solve, the report asserted.

On both sides of Cyprus, climate change and population growth are increasing demand. Precipitation

decreased by more than a quarter over the past 96 years, said Huseyin Gokcekus, vice rector at Near

East University in the Turkish sector of Nicosia, and general coordinator for water in Northern

Cypruss Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Water mismanagement further exacerbates

the problem, he said. For decades, residents have pumped out more groundwater than nature could

replace. That has allowed saltwater to enter aquifers along the islands coast.

Ninety-two percent of the countrys water is obtained from groundwater, he said, adding that

Northern Cyprus lacks both public education on conservation and infrastructure for water recycling.

On the southern side of the island, the Republic of Cyprus will receive no water from this project. It

is turning instead to recycling and desalination.

Were determined to use desalination and recycled water to augment our supply of water, Kyriacos

Kyrou, water director for the republics Water Development Department, said by telephone.

The country has five desalination plants that together can process 250,000 cubic meters of water a

day, he said. Still, the country aims to reduce dependency upon fossil fuel-intensive desalination by

ramping up water recycling, he said.

In Northern Cyprus, the fresh water bounty from the new pipeline could create a perverse incentive to

increase farming, as occurred in Spain.

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/d/desalination/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier

Half of the water transferred from Turkey will be used in agriculture, Mr. Gokcekus said. But

farmable acreage will not be expanded in the first phase of the project, he said. Instead, the

transferred water will replace the salty groundwater now used by farmers for irrigation.

To help ensure the best use of the new water supply, Mr. Gokcekus is working with the territorys

Parliament on a law to address water-wise crop choices, irrigation systems that conserve water,

public education, rainwater harvesting and infrastructure to recycle domestic water.

Mr. Landenbergue of the WWF said, however, that such measures should be completed before

moving forward with a water transfer project. He said he could not speak specifically about the

Northern Cyprus pipeline because he had not studied it.

But even if Northern Cyprus can avoid the classic pitfalls of water transfer projects, Mersin Province

in Turkey could fall prey to donor-basin problems. Reduced water flows have environmental, social

and economic impacts, according to the WWF. Altering natural flow systems can lower water tables,

increase saltwater intrusion to coastal areas, and harm fish migration and spawning, it said. But Mr.

Taskin of Turkeys water agency said by e-mail that his country would be transferring just one-tenth

of the annual flow capacity of the river. Turkey will not encounter any water shortage due to this

project, he said.

The few hundred people who have been displaced by the Alakopru Dam in Turkey have been

resettled, Mr. Gokcekus said. They will also benefit from the chance to farm some of the 4,000

hectares, or 9,880 acres, of new irrigated area in Mersin Province and to use some of the estimated 26

megawatts of electricity generated annually by the dam, he said.

Water transfers also risk conveying invasive species from the donor basin to the destination. Its

often underestimated, and there are lots of cases where invasive species are causing huge trouble for

the ecosystem, biodiversity and the economy, Mr. Landenbergue said.

Still, the environmental concerns could end up being moot. The pipeline, promoted as the first of its

kind in the world, is experimental. Some observers wonder what kind of difficulties its builders will

encounter, or if it will even be built.

The underwater section of the pipeline will be approximately 80 kilometers long, Mr. Taskin said. It

will be made of high-density polyethylene, a material commonly used to transport water. It will cross

a channel as deep as 1,430 meters, or 4,700 feet, but the pipeline will be suspended 250 meters below

the surface, according to the Turkish State Hydraulic Works.

Each 500-meter section of pipe will be tethered to the sea floor far below. Planning engineers also

considered potential hazards like earthquakes and the high level of submarine traffic in the area.

The unconventional design was created by the Turkish firm Alsim Alarko, based in Gebze, with

engineering support from other Turkish and foreign companies. Turkeys water department has

awarded the construction contract to a joint venture of Malaysian and Turkish companies. Executives

from the joint venture declined to speak about the project.

Engineers outside the project are intrigued by it. H.P. van Rossen, manager of installation analysis at

Saipem France, a construction firm that works in subsea oil and gas but is not involved in the water

project, said the pipeline was a novel concept.

This project has little in common with the undersea pipelines used to transmit oil and gas, he said,

in that most conventional offshore pipelines are made of steel and can be placed at depths up to 3,000

meters. They usually rest on the sea floor, thanks to water pressure, the weight of the pipe and the

density of the contents.

Mr. van Rossen said the fluid dynamics of the water pipeline would be different. Because seawater is

denser than fresh water, the fresh water effectively floats in the salt. Also, the pipeline material has a

density close to the water, so the line will be quite neutrally buoyant, he said.

But the long tethers required for the project could be problematic, he said. Earthquakes could destroy

anchoring points, or a tsunami could break the floating line. Nevertheless, if the pipeline broke, it

would not create the same ecological damage as, say, an oil spill, he added.

Contractors began building the Alakopru dam in Turkey in 2011 and the Cyprus dam in March of last

year. Construction work on both dams is continuing, Mr. Taskin said. Alakopru was 75 percent

complete in late March, and Gecitkoy was 40 percent complete, said Mr. Gokcekus, who has visited

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/oil-petroleum-and-gasoline/index.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/o/oil_spills/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier

the work sites and attended meetings with the construction firm. With work under way on each end

of the line, the construction team planned to lay the pipes for the sea crossing later this year, he said.

Both the Turkish State Hydraulic Works representative and Northern Cyprus water coordinator say

the project is on schedule to be completed by March 2014.

Emphasizing caution, the WWF report said a project like this usually reflects ignorance of the social

and environmental costs and a failure to adequately consider better, local alternatives, such as

improved management of local demand.

But Mr. Gokcekus disagreed, citing climate change and population growth as inexorable strains on

water supplies. Water transfers between countries have become inevitable, he said.

Otherwise, he cautioned, territorial disputes over water could surpass current disagreements over

rights to deposits of oil and natural gas.

Northern Cyprus Sees Hope in Water Pipeline, 03/04/2013, online at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/world/europe/northern-cyprus-sees-hope-in-water-

pipeline.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

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Mideast Region Must Address Water Concerns

Turkey is now in the midst of an unprecedented peace process. The decisiveness shown by the parties

is promising, but the road is long. The process is complicated and requires maximum sensitivity and

care. A climate of peace is important not only for Turkey but for the region as well. There will

definitely be changes in the economic and social structures of the region.

I want to look at this new era from an old viewpoint, namely that of water balances in the region.

Recently, research released by NASA drew attention to new possible dangers in the region because

of problems arising from misuse of the regions water resources. This research seems to agree with

expert commentary that from now on wars in the Middle East will be about water instead of oil.

NASAs research revealed that the loss of fresh water in the region has reached dangerous levels.

One of the most important findings was the loss of 144 cubic kilometers of fresh water reserves in the

Tigris and Euphrates basins of Turkey, Syria and Iran.

The NASA research, which goes back to 2003, determined that fresh water reserves approximately

the size of the Dead Sea have been lost because of bad management, increasing demand for

underground water and the 2007 drought. The research found that 60% of this loss is caused by

pumping water out of underground reserves. While regional demand is growing fast, countries of the

region are unable to coordinate water management because of their conflicts.

The NASA research is once again pointing to an important reality: drinking water in the Middle East

is rapidly becoming scarce and some countries are likely to have water problems. During the UN

Climate Conference in Doha last year, the World Bank issued serious warnings that reduced water

resources could become a serious problem in the Middle East and North Africa.

According to the predictions of several organizations, water conflicts will be a major issue in the

coming years and will emerge as the primary cause of wars in the region. One prediction that requires

careful attention is that after 2022, access to water resources in the Middle East, Asia and North

Africa might be used as an instrument of war.

Data obtained by the NASA research therefore concluded that one-fifth of lost water is because of the

soil drying out and a snowfall reduction. Evaporation of lakes and water reserves results in the loss of

another fifth. The rest of the loss is because of a 90 cubic kilometer reduction in underground water

reserves. Such a loss used to meet the needs of nearly 100 million people.

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2013/03/turkey-kurd-awful-day.htmlhttp://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Grace/news/grace20130212.htmlhttp://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2013/03/egypt-ethiopia-water-war.html

While the Middle East is undergoing this rapid water loss due to misuse and climate change, what is

Turkey doing? It continues with controversial policies that disrupt ecosystem balances and disrespect

nature. While hydroelectric dams and reservoirs are being built carelessly, rivers and streams are

drying up and the death warrant of underground water reserves is signed with every wrong drilling.

Another misguided policy is to encourage farmers to resort to irrigated agriculture, even in areas

where dry agriculture is possible.

In light of the latest NASA data, Turkey and regional countries have to develop and apply an

emergency plan of action for the correct use of water resources. Policies are not always decided by

parties sitting around a table. If we do not pay attention to phenomena such as climate change,

drought and misuse of natural resources today, one day these issues will reach desperate levels if

necessary measures are not put in place.

Mideast Region Must Address Water Concerns, 01/04/2013, online at: http://www.al-

monitor.com/pulse/security/2013/04/middle-east-water-issues.html

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Iraqs historic Lake Sawa suffers from neglect

One of the most well-known lakes in Iraq, Lake Sawa, is a large closed body of salt water situated in

the desert between Baghdad and Basra.

The lake is dubbed by some as the Pearl of the South for its beauty and unique composition. It is

surrounded by a cliff of piled sand dunes, providing a natural levee that keeps the water above

ground level. And as the lake has no proven link to either river or sea, the source of its water has been

a mystery to researchers for centuries.

There are those who believe that the lake is linked to the red sea or to other remote lakes, while

some people believe that the water of the lake come from rains of al-Dammam basin or from the west

desert. There are different opinions, but the most likely is that the water of the lake comes from

groundwater in this location, says Dr. Ali Hussein, head of the Research and Studies Centre in

Samawah University.

Four species of small fish and other aquatic organisms have been found in Lake Sawa, which

stretches about four kilometers long and one kilometer wide, says Hussein.

The studies proved that there are four species of small fish that grow to a certain size of 15 cm or 20

cm. The purpose of the fish and aquatic organisms in the lake is to feed migratory birds, but the fish

themselves are not fit for human consumption [due to high fat content], explains Hussein.

Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur, chlorine and carbonates are the essential elements

that make up Lake Sawas water and, with further studies, could prove useful in treating skin

conditions, says Hussein.

There are many people who suffer from skin diseases in this area and in the surrounding areas. They

come and swim in the lake for it [their condition] to improve, diseases, skin diseases. Yes, part of the

answer is that yes it can be used as a natural cure for skin diseases. But this needs more research and

studies to reach certain facts for it to be offered as a place that can treat certain types of skin

diseases, he says.

Lake Sawa was once a popular tourist destination attracting visitors from the nearby city of Samawah

and all over the country. But years of neglect has turned the resort into a dilapidated ghost town, just

like many other touristic and historic destinations in Iraq.

There was a resort and it was teeming with tourists. There were also installations as you see. But it

had been stolen and vandalized after the first Gulf War in 1990. The same thing happened in 2003,

laments geomorphologist Saed Jassim.

The Iraqi Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is currently seeking investors to help with tourism

projects in al-Diwaniyah province, according to local media, in an attempt to revive tourism in local

landmarks including Lake Sawa.

Iraqs historic Lake Sawa suffers from neglect, 01/04/2013, online at:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/features/2013/04/01/Iraq-s-historic-Lake-Sawa-suffers-from-neglect.html

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Fifteen new dams to come on stream in Iran

Fifteen new dams will be inaugurated across Iran by the end of the current Iranian calendar year,

which began on March 21, IRNA News Agency quoted Managing Director of Iran Water Resources

Management Company Mohammad Haj-Rasouliha as saying.

The dams will have a total water storage capacity of 6 billion cubic meters, he added. The existing

dams gave a total storage capacity of 52 billion cubic meters, he noted.

In August 2012, Haj-Rasouliha said that according to the fifth five-year development plan, which

started in March 2011, one dam should be built each month.

Some 36 billion rials (around $3 billion) has been allocated for dam building, he noted.

Some 3 billion cubic meters of surface waters in Iran are being reserved behind dams, Energy

Minister Majid Namjou said in June 2012.

He told the IRNA News Agency that 75-80 percent of surface waters are poured into the dams.

Iran ranks first in the region and third in world in terms of dam construction industry, First Vice

President Mohammad Reza Rahimi announced last year.

He added that currently contractors are building 135 new dams across the country and also doing

several projects in other countries.

In July 2011, Iran celebrated self-sufficiency in dam construction by inaugurating the Karun-4 dam,

the largest concrete dam in Iran, which has been completely designed and constructed by domestic

engineers.

Fifteen new dams to come on stream in Iran, 06/04/2013,online at: http://www.payvand.com/news/13/apr/1036.html

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http://www.payvand.com/news/13/apr/1036.html

Ahmadinejad Inaugurates Large Dam in Northeastern Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- A large reservior dam, constructed by Iranian experts, was inaugurated in the

Northeastern Khorassan Razavi province in a ceremony attended by President Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad.

The Aradak reservoir dam is located about 70 km to the Northwest of Mashhad. The 410-meter-long

dam is constructed on Aradak River.

In July 2012, Iran inaugurated its highest roller-compact concrete (RCC) dam in the Southwestern

province of Khuzestan in a ceremony attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

President Ahmadinejad inaugurated the Upper Gatvand Dam, which is located five kilometers from

the city of Gatvand and has the country's second largest reservoir after the Karkheh Dam.

Iran is a leading country in dam construction and many countries, including Sri Lanka, Syria, and

Tajikistan as well as several African states, have entered either dam construction or consultation

projects with Tehran.

Earlier this year, Managing-Director of Iran's Water Management Company Mohammad Haj-Rasouli

praised Iran's eye-catching progress in area of dam construction in recent decades, saying Iran is now

among the world's top dam-builders and enjoys the most advanced technology in the field.

Iran is among five major dam-constructor countries in the world, Haj-Rasouli said in Southern city of

Bandar Abbas in February, and added that the country has currently 145 operational dams with the

total capacity of 50 billion cubic meters.

Referring to the fact that dry and semi-dry climate has dominated some 75 percent of Iran's soil, he

said that during the past decade, the country has faced severe climate situation and lack of rainfalls.

However, he added that the crisis was successfully overcome to some extent through appropriate

management and planning.

Iran is now viewed as a leading country in dam building. Iranian specialists now provide consultation

services for the design and construction of various dams in different sizes.

Ahmadinejad Inaugurates Large Dam in Northeastern Iran, 04/04/2013, online at:

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9107157410

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Iran: More farmers' protests over water shortages

NCRI - Furious farmers angry at water shortages have this week staged more demonstrations near the

city of Isfahan.

The latest protests come after the regime brutally crushed gatherings of farmers in February this year.

Violent scenes erupted two months ago in the city of Varzaneh when protesters set fire to three buses

carrying state security forces.

Several farmers were killed and injured, and at least 160 arrested, by the state's SSF anti-riot squad

troops at the time.

They had accused the regime of turning the Zayandehrood River into a parched valley.

The Zayanderood begins on the central plateau of Iran and supplies water to people in the central

Iranian provinces of Isfahan and Yazd - but it has dried up over the past four summers.

Iran: More farmers' protests over water shortages, 05/04/2013, online at: http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/iran-

protests/13281-iran-more-farmers-protests-over-water-shortages.html

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25% Rise in Water Reserves of Dams

Water reserves in dams stand at 25 billion cubic meters, which has grown by 25 percent, said

the head of Water Resources Management Company.

Mohammad Haj-Rasouliha put the average precipitation rate at 178 millimeters, Fars News Agency

reported.

He said 15 dams will be made operational across the provinces of Khorasan Razavi, North Khorasan,

South Khorasan, Fars, Isfahan, Sistan-Baluchestan, Zanjan and Khuzestan by the end of the current

Iranian year (March 2014).

Close to 124,000 hectares of irrigation and drainage networks have been established under the Mehr-

e Mandegar Project (which plans to complete semi-finished projects) since last year.

Haj-Rasouliha expressed hope that 52,000 hectares would be added to the network in the first six

months of the current Iranian year.

A large reservoir dam, constructed by Iranian experts, was inaugurated on Wednesday in the

northeastern Khorasan Razavi province in a ceremony attended by President Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad.

The Aradak Reservoir Dam is located 70 km to the northwest of Mashhad. The 410-meter-long dam

is constructed on Aradak River.

Iran is a leading country in dam construction and many countries, including Sri Lanka, Syria, and

Tajikistan as well as several African states, have undertaken joint dam construction or consultation

projects with Tehran.

"Iran is among five major dam builders in the world," he said in the southern city of Bandar Abbas in

February, adding that the country currently has 145 dams with a total capacity of 50 billion cubic

meters.

25% Rise in Water Reserves of Dams, 06/04/2013, online at:

http://www.zawya.com/story/25_rise_in_water_reserves_of_dams-ZAWYA20130406055249/

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Syria refugees draining water resources in Jordan: Aid group

AMMAN Hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in Jordan are stretching the kingdoms meagre

water resources to the limit, two British aid agencies warned on Friday, calling for international

help.

The Syrian refugee emergency is highlighting one of Jordans most pressing problems - water, said

Christian Snoad of Oxfam, in a joint statement with the British Red Cross.

Solutions need to be found to deal with Jordans water scarcity and this will need to be done as a

matter of urgency.

The Jordanian government will need... large-scale help from governments around the world to

address this critical issue, said Snoad.

Jordan has taken in waves of Palestinian and Iraqis refugees who fled conflicts over the past few

decades, and now hosts more than 450,000 Syrians, including 120,000 in the sprawling northern

border camp of Zaatari alone.

The kingdoms water supply system, already under severe strain, is being stretched to the limit by

the large influx of refugees fleeing conflict in Syria, the statement said.

Faced with chronic water shortages, Jordan, whose own population has been growing at an annual

rate of 3.5 per cent, has been forced to extract more water from the ground since the mid-1980s.

More than 3,500 cubic metres of water are delivered each day into Zaatari, providing refugees with

clean water for drinking, cooking and cleaning, said the statement.

Its just a matter of time before the main sources run out. In some areas, groundwater extraction is

nearly three times the recharge rate, it added.

Syrian refugees could afford to buy filtered water in Jordan, one of the worlds 10 driest countries,

where desert covers 92 per cent of its territory.

Syria refugees draining water resources in Jordan: Aid group, 07/04/2013, online at:

http://www.omantribune.com/index.php?page=news&id=140544&heading=Middle%20East

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http://www.omantribune.com/index.php?page=news&id=140544&heading=Middle%20East

Will Syrias Refugee Crisis Drain Jordan of Its Water?

Now that spring has arrived in the Middle East, Syrias estimated 1.2 million refugees in Turkey,

Lebanon and Jordan can hope for relief from the snow, the rain and the bitterly cold nights of winter.

But that relief will be as short-lived as the regions balmy weather. Summer is fast on its way, and in

Jordan in particular, life for Syrian refugees, and the border communities that support them, is about

to get a lot worse.

Jordan is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, subject to an ongoing drought that

has devastated agricultural prospects in the countrys northern areas for nearly a decade. The large

and rapid influx of Syrian refugees into the border cities of Ramtha and Mafraq, home to the Zaatari

refugee camp, has strained water supplies to the breaking point for two weeks in February, parts

of Mafraq town had no water whatsoever. Summers soaring temperatures will put additional

demands on a poor region that can hardly support its own population, let alone the surge of new

refugees that are expected as the war in Syria grinds on. When the peaceful Syrian uprising evolved

into a bloody conflict nearly two years ago, residents of Mafraq welcomed refugees fleeing the

violence. That hospitality is starting to wane. Competition between Syrian refugees and local

residents over limited resources, from water to electricity, food, schooling, housing and health

care could boil over, potentially causing unrest in one of the few stable countries left in the Middle

East. As temperatures rise, so too will tensions, says Nigel Pont, Middle East Regional Director

for Mercy Corps, an international development agency actively involved with the Syrian crisis.

Resentment among the Jordanians is palpable, he adds, and could easily escalate into violence if

the underlying issues are not addressed.

Some 3,000 Syrians are crossing the Jordanian border every day, and aid agencies working with the

363,000 refugees already in the country anticipate that at this rate they will see another million in

Jordan alone by the end of the year. Border towns like Mafraq have seen populations double since the

start of the Syrian conflict, driving prices for rent, food and utilities sky-high. At the same time, the

Jordanian government is considering reducing its historically generous subsidies on fuel. So costs are

rising along with demanda perfect storm for the Jordanian economy that has many grumbling

about unwelcome guests.

http://topics.time.com/middle-east/http://topics.time.com/drought/http://topics.time.com/health-care/http://topics.time.com/health-care/http://topics.time.com/health-care/http://www.mercycorps.org.uk/http://www.mercycorps.org/articles/jordan-syria/syria-refugee-crisis-becoming-unsustainable

International assistance can help with food, housing and even fuel to supply Jordans burgeoning

refugee population to a certain extent. Water, however, is the one thing that cant be airlifted in. For

decades Jordan has relied on extracting groundwater to supply its own growing population, but those

supplies are dwindling. According to antipoverty charity Oxfam, which is also involved with the

Syrian conflict, groundwater extraction is nearly three times the recharge rate in some areas, which

means that wells are quite literally going dry. To make things worse, Oxfam estimates that 50% of

water in Mafraq district is lost through leaks in aging pipes or by people illegally siphoning water

from the municipal system.

The Syrian refugee emergency is highlighting one of Jordans most pressing problems water,

says Christian Snoad, Oxfams water, sanitation and hygiene coordinator in Zaatari, in a recently

released statement. Solutions need to be found to deal with Jordans water scarcity, and this will

need to be done as a matter of urgency. As it is, towns that used to have running water one day a

week are now only getting it once every two weeks. And with more than half of the Syrian refugees

living in towns like Mafraq, its all too easy for Jordanians to blame the newcomers for the shortages.

To fill in the gaps residents must rely on water delivered by private tanker companies, a costly

alternative that is fueling further resentment.

Aid agencies such as Oxfam and Mercy Corps have dug wells in the Zaatari refugee camp to

assuage shortages there, but its a short-term solution, especially as numbers grow. To help residents

and refugees outside the camp, the U.S. Agency for International Development has partnered with

Mercy Corps on a $20 million project to refurbish Jordans ailing water system where the influx of

Syrian refugees has disrupted supplies.

These initiatives will only help if the incoming numbers stay stable, all the more unlikely considering

the worsening violence across Syria. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says

6,000 Syrians were killed in March, making it the deadliest month since the start of hostilities in

2011. On Tuesday, rebel forces attacked a Damascus suburb in an attempt to reach the heart of

President Bashar Assads stronghold. The regime retaliated with a barrage of rockets, mortars and air

strikes on northern suburbs allied with the opposition. It is impossible to predict where the war will

go next: the rebels are determined; so too is the regime. But if Damascus does fall, or any of Syrias

southern cities for that matter, a surge of Syrians heading for the Jordanian border is a given. Instead

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/http://blogs.oxfam.org/en/blogs/13-03-22-syria-refugees-adding-jordan-water-worrieshttp://blogs.oxfam.org/en/blogs/13-03-22-syria-refugees-adding-jordan-water-worrieshttp://blogs.oxfam.org/en/blogs/13-03-22-syria-refugees-adding-jordan-water-worrieshttp://jordantimes.com/article/us-grants-additional-20m-for-water-security-in-northhttp://syriahr.com/en/http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/historic-synagogue-damascus-damaged-looted-18854592#.UVwpCKV0Ec8

of 3,000 refugees a day, Jordan might find itself forced to accept hundreds of thousands a

catastrophic burden for any country, not least one already on edge because of its own dwindling

resources.

UPDATE: Jordans Prime Minister-designate, Abdullah Ensour, warned in parliamentary debate that

an increased influx of Syrian refugees would be catastrophic for the country. In a subsequent

conversation with journalists, he suggested that the government was considering alternatives,

including the establishment of buffer zones in southern Syria that would serve the dual purpose of

protecting Jordan from spillover from the ongoing conflict, as well as house would-be refugees

seeking safety across the border. On 5 April the United Nations warned that it would soon have to

start cutting aid to Syrian refugees across the region, due to inadequate funding. The needs are rising

exponentially, and we are broke, Marixie Mercado, a spokeswoman for Unicef, told reporters in

Geneva according to the New York Times. Across the region, a lot of our operations are going to

have to start scaling down unless we get money. Unicef warned that it had received only a quarter of

requested funds, and as a result would be forced to stop deliveries of 3.5 million liters of water to

100,000 Syrian refugees by June just when demand will peak.

Will Syrias Refugee Crisis Drain Jordan of Its Water?, 06/04/2013, online at: http://world.time.com/2013/04/04/how-

syrias-refugee-crisis-is-draining-jordans-scarce-water-supply/#ixzz2Pn359MJN

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Iraq Energy Profile: Has Surpassed Iran In Producing Crude Oil

Iraq has the fifth largest proven crude oil reserves in the world, and it passed Iran as the second

largest producer of crude oil in OPEC at the end of 2012.

Iraq was the worlds eighth largest producer of total petroleum liquids in 2012, and it has the worlds

fifth largest proven petroleum reserves after Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Canada, and Iran. Just a

fraction of Iraqs known fields are in development, and Iraq may be one of the few places left where

much of its known hydrocarbon resources has not been fully exploited. Iraqs energy sector is heavily

based on oil. Over 90 percent of its energy needs are met with petroleum (2010 estimate), with the

rest supplied by natural gas and hydropower.

Iraq has begun to develop its oil and natural gas reserves after years of sanctions and wars, but it will

need to develop its infrastructure in order to reach its production potential. According to estimates by

Iraqs Deputy Prime Minister for Energy, capital expenditures of $30 billion per year in Iraqi energy

infrastructure are required to meet Iraqs production targets. Progress has been hampered by political

disputes and the lack of a law to govern development of Iraqs oil and gas. The proposed

Hydrocarbon Law, which would govern contracting and regulation, has been under review in the

Council of Ministers since October 26, 2008, but has not received final passage.

Petroleum

Despite having large proven oil reserves, increases in oil production have fallen behind ambitious

targets because of infrastructure constraints and political disputes.

Reserves

Iraq revised its estimate of proven oil reserves from 115 billion barrels in 2011 to 141 billion barrels

as of January 1, 2013, according to the Oil and Gas Journal. Iraqs resources are not evenly divided

across sectarian-demographic lines. Most known hydrocarbon resources are concentrated in the

Shiite areas of the south and the ethnically Kurdish region in the north, with few resources in control

of the Sunni minority in central Iraq.

The majority of the known oil and gas reserves in Iraq form a belt that runs along the eastern edge of

the country. Iraq has five super-giant fields (over 5 billion barrels) in the south that account for 60

percent of the countrys proven oil reserves. An estimated 17 percent of oil reserves are in the north

of Iraq, near Kirkuk, Mosul, and Khanaqin. Control over rights to reserves is a source of controversy

between the ethnic Kurds and other groups in the area. The International Energy Agency (IEA)

estimated that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) area contained 4 billion barrels of proven

reserves. However, this region is now being actively explored, and the KRG stated that this region

could contain 45 billion barrels of unproven oil resources.

Production

Iraqi crude oil production averaged 3 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2012, and Iraq passed Iran as

OPECs second largest crude oil producer at the end of the year. About three-fourths of Iraqs crude

oil production comes from the southern fields, with the remainder primarily from the northern fields

near Kirkuk. The majority of Iraqi oil production comes from just three giant fields: Kirkuk, the

North Rumaila field in southern Iraq, and the South Rumaila field.

The Ministry of Oil oversees oil and gas production and development in all but the Kurdish territory

through its operating entities, the North Oil Company (NOC) and the Midland Oil Company

(MDOC) in the north and central regions, and the South Oil Company (SOC) and the Missan Oil

Company (MOC) in southern regions. Production in the northern region controlled by the Kurdistan

Regional Government (KRG) fluctuates because of disputes with the central Iraqi government, but

independent assessments by FACTS Global Energy and the Middle East Economic Survey suggest

that crude oil production capacity in the KRG could reach about 400,000 bbl/d by the end of 2013.

Development plans

Iraq has begun an ambitious program to develop its oil fields and to increase its oil production.

Passage of the proposed Hydrocarbon Law, which would provide a legal framework for investment

in the hydrocarbon sector, remains a main policy objective. Despite the absence of the Hydrocarbons

Law, the Iraqi Ministry of Oil signed long-term contracts between November 2008 and May 2010

with international oil companies.

Under the first phase, companies bid to further develop giant oil fields that were already producing.

Phase two contracts were signed to develop oil fields that were already explored but not fully

developed or producing commercially. Together, contracts for both phases cover oil fields with

proven reserves of over 60 billion barrels. If these fields were developed as initially planned, they

would increase total Iraqi production capacity to almost 12 million bbl/d, or about 9 million bbl/d

above 2012 production levels.

The contracts call for Iraq to reach this production target by 2017. However, these contracts are being

re-negotiated to more modest levels, and Iraq is revising its production targets to 9.5 million bbl/d by

2017. However, even these revised targets may be overly optimistic, given delays in developing its

energy infrastructure. Iraq has since held a third bidding round for natural gas fields, and a fourth

round (with few bids submitted) for fields that contain predominantly crude oil. A fifth round has

been scheduled in 2013 for the development of the 4-billion-barrel Nasiriya oil field in Thi-Qar

province, together with the construction and operation of a new 300,000-bbl/d refinery.

Infrastructure constraints

Iraq faces many challenges in meeting the planned timetable for oil production. One of the major

obstacles is the lack of an outlet for significant increases in crude oil production. Both Iraqi refining

and export infrastructure are severely constrained, with bottlenecks preventing more crude oil

processing. Iraqi oil exports are currently running at near full capacity in the south, while export

capacity in the north has been restricted by sabotage, deteriorating pipelines, and the inability to

receive more oil from the south of Iraq via a deteriorated Strategic Pipeline. Pipeline capacity would

need to be expanded in any case to export significantly higher volumes. Progress has been slow

because of political disputes between factions within Iraq, especially those between the central

government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government. Iraq also has disagreements

regarding shared oil fields with Kuwait and Iran.

Production increases of the scale planned will also require substantial increases in natural gas and/or

water injection to maintain oil reservoir pressure and boost oil production. Iraq has associated gas

that could be used, but it is currently being flared. According to a report issued by the U.S. National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Iraq was the fourth largest natural gas flaring

country in 2010.

Another option is to use water for re-injection, and while locally available water is currently being

used in the south of Iraq, fresh water is a scarce commodity in the Middle East. Large amounts of

seawater will likely have to be pumped in via pipelines that have yet to be built for the Common

Seawater Supply Facility. It was estimated that 10 to 15 million bbl/d of seawater could be necessary

for Iraqs original production expansion plans, at a cost of over $10 billion. ExxonMobil, which was

originally assigned to lead the project, dropped out in 2012, putting these plans behind schedule. The

engineering company CH2MHill was subsequently awarded management of the project in December

2012, but the final scope of the project wont be known until Iraq decides what its re-negotiated

production targets will be. The IEA estimates that the project will not come online before 2017 at the

earliest.

Furthermore, Iraqs oil and gas industry is the largest industrial customer of electricity in Iraq. Large-

scale increases in oil production would also require large increases in electric power generation.

However, Iraq has struggled to keep up with the demand for electricity, with shortages common

across the country. Significant upgrades to the electricity sector would be needed to supply additional

power. Although over 20 gigawatts (GW) of new generating capacity are planned by 2015, delays in

meeting projected targets would mean insufficient supply to meet the projected demands of the oil

sector.

Refining

Iraqi refineries produce too much heavy fuel oil relative to domestic needs, and not enough other

refined products such as gasoline. To alleviate product shortages, Iraq set a goal of increasing

refining capacity to 1.5 million bbl/d. Iraq has plans for four new refineries as well as plans for

expanding the existing Daura and Basrah refineries.

Kurdistan regional government issues

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the official ruling body of a federated region in

northern Iraq that is predominantly Kurdish, has been involved in disputes with national authorities

related to sovereignty issues. The plan by Iraqs North Oil Company to boost production at the

Kirkuk field in North Iraq at the edge of the KRG region has been met with objections by the KRG,

which insists that development plans at this field require KRG cooperation and approval.

More generally, the Iraqi Oil Ministry insists that all hydrocarbon contracts must be signed with the

national government, and that all oil produced in the KRG region be shipped via SOMO, Iraqs oil

exporting arm. However, the KRG passed its own hydrocarbons law in 2007 in the absence of a

national Iraqi law governing investment in hydrocarbons. In late 2011, the KRG challenged the

authority of the national government when it signed oil production sharing agreements with

ExxonMobil to develop 6 blocks in northern Iraq, some of which are in disputed border areas. The

KRG has since signed additional contracts with majors such as Chevron, Gazprom, and Total.

ExxonMobil withdrew from some of its projects in Iraq, notably the Common Seawater Supply

Facility, and the company had been asked by the Iraqi government to choose between its involvement

in the West Qurna 1 oilfield and its projects in the KRG. TPAO of Turkey has also been asked to

withdraw from its involvement in the Block 9 concession that was awarded during the fourth bidding

round because of disputes regarding Turkeys involvement in KRG energy projects.

Another KRG oil dispute has revolved around exports of crude oil produced in the KRG region from

earlier contracts. The KRG had agreed to send 175,000 bbl/d of crude oil into the Iraqi northern oil

export pipeline. However, the KRG began reducing their contribution in late 2011, charging that the

central government failed to make agreed payments to cover foreign oil company development. The

KRG contributions were halted altogether in April 2012, but they were later re-started in August.

Oil exports directly from the KRG are another unresolved issue. The KRG began exporting 15,000

bbl/d of condensate and 20,000 bbl/d of crude oil to Turkey by truck. The KRG is looking at building

its own pipelines to export crude oil directly via Turkey, bypassing the national export pipeline

system, although Turkey has not officially agreed to this plan. Genel Energy plans to build the

420,000 bbl/d Kurdistan Iraq Crude Export (KICE) pipeline that will connect its fields in the Kurdish

regions in northern Iraq to the border with Turkey. In addition, the KRG has explored supplying

natural gas to Turkey.

The KRG has ambitious plans for its crude oil exports. KRG Prime Minister Mr. Barzani suggested

that crude oil exports from the KRG could average 250,000 bbl/d in 2013 and then rise to 1 million

bbl/d by 2015 and to 2 million bbl/d by 2019.

Oil exports

Iraq was the sixth largest net exporter of petroleum liquids in the world in 2012, with the majority of

its oil exports going to the United States and to refineries in Asia.

Iraq exported 2.4 million bbl/d of crude oil in 2012, according to tanker data from Lloyds List

Intelligence. About 2.1 million bbl/d of these exports came from Iraqs Persian Gulf ports, with the

rest exported via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline in the north. The majority of Iraqi oil exports go to the

United States and to refineries in Asia, especially India, China, and South Korea.

Iraq crude oil exports (2012)

Export pipelines

To the North:

Iraq has one major crude oil export pipeline, the Kirkuk-Ceyhan (Iraq-Turkey) pipeline, which

transports oil from the north of Iraq to Turkeys Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. This pipeline route

consists of two parallel pipelines with a combined nameplate capacity of 1.65 million bbl/d. The Iraq-

Turkey pipeline has been subject to repeated disruptions, limiting exports from the northern fields.

Furthermore, the parallel pipelines of the Iraq-Turkey route have deteriorated to the point where

flows need to be routed back and forth between the two pipelines to bypass deteriorated sections.

Only one of the twin pipelines is fully operational, with a maximum available capacity of 600,000

bbl/d, according to the IEA. Finally, in order for this pipeline to reach its design capacity, Iraq would

need to receive oil from the south via the Strategic Pipeline. However, flows from the Strategic

Pipeline have been severely limited, as it is also in need of repairs. Iraq and Turkey have held

discussions on increasing pipeline capacity along this route.

Proposals have also been made to build a 1-million-bbl/d pipeline to transport heavy oil via Turkey.

The Kurdistan Iraq Crude Export (KICE) pipeline has been proposed to transport 420,000 bbl/d of

crude oil from fields in the KRG to the border with Turkey.

To the West:

The Kirkuk-Banias Pipeline, with a design capacity of 700,000 bbl/d, has been closed and the Iraqi

portion has been unusable since the 2003 war in Iraq. Discussions were held between Iraqi and

Syrian government officials about re-opening the pipeline. The Russian company Stroytransgaz

expressed interest in repairing the pipeline, but this plan has not moved forward.

Iraq has discussed building several new pipelines to reduce its over-reliance on exports from its

southern ports. The first phase consists of building a 2.25-million bbl/d pipeline from Basrah in the

south of Iraq northward to Haditha in Iraqs Anbar province. From there, Iraq has proposed building

a 1-million bbl/d crude oil pipeline from Haditha to Jordans port of Aqaba on the Red Sea, with

Syria as another potential destination.

To the South:

The 1.65-million bbl/d Iraq Pipeline to Saudi Arabia (IPSA) has been closed since 1991 following

the Persian Gulf War. There are no plans to reopen this line, and Saudi Arabia has reportedly since

converted it to a natural gas line.

Ports

The Basrah Oil Terminal (formerly Mina al-Bakr) on the Persian Gulf exported a little over 1.5

million bbl/d of oil in 2012. There are five smaller ports on the Persian Gulf, all functioning at less

than full capacity, including the Khor al-Amaya terminal.

Iraqi oil production has been limited by the lack of sufficient export capacity. To address this

problem, Iraq initiated the Phase 1 Crude Oil Export Expansion Project (ICOEEP), which envisions

expanding Iraqi export capability to 4.5 million bbl/d by building three single-point mooring systems

(SPM) with a capacity of 850,000 bbl/d each. The first two mooring systems were completed in

2012. However, exports have increased far less than anticipated because pumping to the SPMs is not

coming from the refurbished Fao terminal as planned, but rather from a stop-gap diversionary

pipeline. In addition, inadequate storage tank capacity has limited pumping from storage. Another

SPM has since been planned to further increase export capacity.

Natural gas

The majority of Iraqi natural gas production is flared and Iraq was the fourth largest natural gas

flaring country in the world in 2010. Iraq is taking steps to reduce flaring and to use its natural gas

resources in power generation and for re-injection to increase oil recovery.

Reserves

Iraqs proven natural gas reserves as of January 1, 2013 were the 12th largest in the world at 112

trillion cubic feet (Tcf), according to the Oil and Gas Journal. Over 60 percent of these reserves lie in

the south of Iraq. Three-fourths of Iraqs natural gas resources are associated with oil. The majority

of non-associated reserves are concentrated in several fields in the North, including Ajil, Bai Hassan,

Jambur, Chemchemal, Kor Mor, Khashem al-Ahmar, and al-Mansuriyah.

Production

Iraqi gross natural gas production rose from 81 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in 2003 to 660 Bcf in 2011.

Some of this natural gas is used as fuel for power generation, while a portion of it is re-injected to

enhance oil recovery. However, the majority of Iraqi natural gas production is flared. Flaring losses

in some months have exceeded 60 percent of production, or more than 1 Bcf per day, due to a lack of

sufficient pipelines and other infrastructure to transport it for consumption and export. As a result,

Iraqs five natural gas processing plants, which can process over 773 Bcf per year, sit mostly idle.

To reduce flaring, Iraq signed an agreement with Royal Dutch Shell to create a new joint venture,

Basrah Gas Company, to capture flared gas in Basrah Province. The 25-year project costing $17

billion has a planned production capacity of up to 2 Bcf per day. Under the agreement, processed gas

would go to the state-owned South Gas company for domestic use. Any gas not bought for use by

Iraqi power plants could be exported as LNG. The agreement, which originally was to cover all of

Basrah province, has been modified to include only the associated gas from the Rumaila, Zubair, and

West Qurna Phase I projects. Implementation of this agreement is necessary for the new oil

development projects (which would use the natural gas for re-injection) to go forward.

Development plans

Iraq held its third bidding round in late 2010, for three non-associated natural gas fields (Akkas, al-

Mansuriyah, and Siba) with combined reserves of up to 7.4 Tcf. Iraq has committed to purchasing

100 percent of the gas. A fourth bidding round in May 2012 attracted one bid for a gas-prone area.

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced its intention to launch a fifth bidding round for exploratory areas

with gas prospects in the future.

Export/Pipeline plans

Plans to export natural gas remain controversial because natural gas is needed as a feedstock for

Iraqs electric power plants. The current shortage of adequate gas feedstock has resulted in idle and

sub-optimally-fired electricity generation capacity in Iraq.

Prior to the 1990-1991 Gulf War, Iraq exported natural gas to Kuwait. The gas came from the

Rumaila field through a 105-mile, 400-MMcf/d pipeline to Kuwaits central processing center at

Ahmadi. The Ministry of Oil has discussed reviving the mothballed pipeline, but no firm plans have

been made to do this.

Other possibilities include:

Developing northern export routes such as the proposed Nabucco pipeline through Turkey to

Europe. In July 2009, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki suggested that Iraq could export 530 Bcf per

year to Europe by 2015.

Connecting the Iraqi gas grid to the existing Arab Gas Pipeline that connects Egypts gas grid

with those of Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Under this plan, gas would be delivered from Iraqs Akkas

field to the Turkish border and then on to Europe.

Building liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities in the Basrah region.

Renewing plans to participate in the Friendship Gas Pipeline, which would transport natural

gas from Iran through Iraq to Syria and then on to Europe.

Iraqs export plans have been complicated by KRG proposals to export their natural gas

independently of Baghdad.

Electricity

After years of power shortages, Iraqi efforts to increase generating capacity are moving forward. Iraq

plans to triple generating capacity to 27 gigawatts by the end of 2015.

Overview

Like many developing countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Iraq faces a sharply rising

demand for power. For most of the postwar period 2003-2012, Iraq has struggled to meet its power

needs. Daily outages lasting 16 hours per day have not been uncommon. Although Iraq purchased 74

turbines, for a total of 10 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2008, no progress in installation was made

until recently because of budgetary, contracting, and political difficulties. In addition, enhancements

to the transmission and distribution networks are required to bring additional power to customers. A

further bottleneck is that, while this power expansion is planned to be fueled primarily by natural gas-

powered turbines, the natural gas infrastructure enhancements to support this expansion have lagged.

As a result, Iraq has had to import electricity from Iran and from Turkish electricity barges (floating

power plants) in the Persian Gulf. In addition, there has been a large increase in the number of

privately-owned generators, with those in Baghdad alone providing an additional 1 GW of capacity.

Development plans

The Ministry of Electricity is the Iraqi agency responsible for electricity generation, transmission,

and distribution. Dr. Abd Abd al-Satter, Director General at the Ministry, said that Iraq could triple

its generating capacity to 27 GW by 2015. Most of the turbines for this expansion were purchased

several years ago, and over 20 new contracts have been signed for construction of power plants. In

addition, Iraq plans to spend an additional $27 billion over the next five years, with about half of the

money to be spent on upgrading the transmission and distribution systems. Chinese firms will build

3.8 GW of the new capacity, followed by South Korean and Turkish companies, with the latter

dominant in the KRG region.

The majority of the new power plants will be gas-fired, with about 1 GW of diesel generating

capacity also scheduled to come online. About 400 megawatts (MW) of wind and solar generating

capacity are planned. However, no new hydropower plants are planned because of water shortages.

Iraq is also looking to convert older existing gas-fired plants to more efficient combined-cycle plants.

The expansion of generating capacity will be tied to the development of the natural gas industry

infrastructure, which is currently lagging. Most current Iraqi natural gas production is flared, and

pipelines will need to be built to bring natural gas, which would otherwise be flared, to future power

plants.

In addition, Iraq will need to enact regulatory and tariff reforms. Iraq will need to re-examine its

current heavy electricity subsidies in order to prevent future demand growth from out-stripping the

expansion in generating capacity. New laws for the electric sector have been proposed, but they are

still waiting for cabinet approval.

Iraq Energy Profile: Has Surpassed Iran In Producing Crude Oil Analysis, 02/04/2013, online at:

http://www.albanytribune.com/02042013-iraq-energy-profile-has-surpassed-iran-in-producing-crude-oil-analysis/

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http://www.albanytribune.com/02042013-iraq-energy-profile-has-surpassed-iran-in-producing-crude-oil-analysis/

'Israel cuts water to Palestinian villages'

The Israeli regime has completely cut off water to Palestinian villages in the occupied West

Bank, local media say.

Palestinian media reported on Monday that Israeli authorities halted the water flow to 10 villages

located northwest of al-Quds (Jerusalem).

According to reports, local Israeli officials had already imposed restrictions on the amount of water

pumped to these villages.

Reports also indicated that residents were living on very small amounts of water even before the total

halt of water flow.

Locals also said that hundreds of Palestinian students are also suffering from the lack of water in their

schools.

The Palestinian NGO, Land Research Centre, also said in a recent report that Israeli settlers from the

settlements of Yiztar and Baracha have been using water springs in the Palestinian residents of Burin

in order to raise fish.

The Palestinian residents lodged a complaint with Israeli authorities, saying that the settlers use their

only source of water, not only for farming but also for their leisure. This is while the Palestinian

community suffers water shortages and has to pay extortionate rates for water.

'Israel cuts water to Palestinian villages', 02/04/2013, online at: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/04/02/296166/israel-

cuts-water-to-palestinian-villages/

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Entrepreneurs Take on MENA's Water and Energy Challenges

With the Middle East and North Africa's water and energy needs at an all time high, local

entrepreneurs must contribute to sustainable solutions.

The World Bank estimates that by 2020 the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) must create 100

million new jobs. Solutions are needed immediately.

By definition, entrepreneurs solve problems. They mobilize scant resources to overcome challenges

and produce big results. In MENA, where regulations for starting and scaling a business can be

complex, a young crop of startups have been populating the region's markets at a growing rate in

recent years. In parallel, new support programs such as investment funds and business incubators

have increased in number. The rising commitment to start, support and invest in new companies have

many believing entrepreneurship can have a watershed effect on MENA's job creation plans.

Quickly, entrepreneurs have been positioned as a go-to solution for tackling the region's

unemployment problems.

However, job creation is not the only item on the region's development agenda where entrepreneurs

are urgently needed. Water scarcity in MENA is acute: by 2050 per capita water availability will

be reduced by half. Further, the United Nations claimed that as of 2007 many MENA countries

already existed at a level of scarce or stressed freshwater access. Though the region is home to 6% of

the world's population, it has approximately 1% of global freshwater reserves. Of equal concern, new

energy sources are essential for MENA's longevity. By some estimates, by 2035 the region will

increase its current energy consumption by 70%, occurring against the backdrop of diminishing oil

reserves and access to electricity.. These environmental constraints are just as, if not even more,

pressing than the employment challenge and they too demand solutions.

The growing know-how and excitement in MENA's entrepreneurship space must also be channeled

towards water and energy challenges. Globally, entrepreneurship has played a role in turning

environmental constraints into opportunities with startups providing a testing ground for new ideas in

the green economy.

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTMENA/Publications/20262209/Empoverview.pdfhttp://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTMENA/Resources/WaterSummary_ENG.pdfhttp://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtmlhttp://www.prb.org/pdf/FindingTheBalance_Eng.pdfhttp://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/08959.pdf

A small cohort of MENA entrepreneurs are already working in this space. Identifying them and their

companies can help provide a blueprint for others to follow and boost support for green startups.

Saphon Energy was born in Tunisia in 2009 when engineer Anis Aouni and his friend of two

decades, investment banker Hassine Labaied, hatched an idea for a blade-less wind converter. This

"zero-blade" technology, an innovation that differs from traditional bladed turbines, was inspired by

the process sail boats use to capture kinetic energy from wind. The technology has been patented and

is being registered in 70 different countries.

Fifteen hundred miles east in Jordan, entrepreneur Mahmoud Shattel's startup Taqetna (Arabic for

"our energy") is also tackling the wind-energy space with its "Reyah" prototype. Reyah is a vertical

wind turbine customized to meet MENA's wind speeds. Alternative energy is a critical need in

Jordan, which currently imports 96% of its energy. Though young, Taqetna is an example of how a

startup can endeavor to disrupt this field.

Specializing in both the energy and water sectors is Jordan's Millennium Energy Industries (MEI).

Launched in 2002, MEI has patented solar desalination and cooling technology with a core focus on

solar heating solutions. Between 2008 and 2010 MEI grew over 700% and in 2012 was named

Jordan's fastest growing company. In 2011 in Saudi Arabia it engineered and implemented a 25

mega-watt solar heating project - the world's largest - and is now rolling out in the European Union

and Chile. Ennis Rimawi serves as MEI's Executive Chairman through his role as Managing Director

of Catalyst Private Equity, an Arab region venture capital fund for energy and water technology.

The need for stable energy and water access in MENA are clear. Rimawi explains the demand as

both a necessity and a market opportunity. The region's harsh environmental conditions make

alternative energy and water sources a factor of survival. In parallel, MENA is endowed with

business opportunities for green companies. According to some estimates, the region holds 45% of

global potential for renewable energy and experiences roughly 300 days of sunlight per year.

Similarly, market research company Frost and Sullivan values the region's water treatment sector

at USD4.7 billion by 2020. These are just a few data points that demonstrate the market opportunity.

However, few entrepreneurs in MENA are active in the region's energy and water fields. This could

be due to factors including costs for starting up and minimal exposure and support to incentivize

more activity. The result is minimal available support for these companies and limited opportunities

for others to enter this space.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/jordan/energy-imports-net-percent-of-energy-use-wb-data.htmlhttp://www.allworldlive.com/feed/company-profile/millennium-energy-industries-top-arabia500-winner-jordanhttp://www.millenniumenergy.co.uk/node/147http://www.millenniumenergy.co.uk/node/147http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/08959.pdfhttp://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/08959.pdfhttp://www.atkearney.com/documents/10192/e7c6fb89-255b-4cb7-8514-7bc10e4f396fhttp://www.awards.frost.com/prod/servlet/press-release.pag?docid=KMEE-5KQFA6

A handful of actions can be taken to address these gaps.

In the words of Labeid, "There needs to be greater synergy between these people who can innovate

and investors who can take a risk." More funds focusing on clean-tech and renewable energy are a

must. Business plan competitions and incubators with a focus on these sectors can also spur interest.

Similar initiatives already exist for Internet startups and these models can be tailored to the energy

and water sectors. Closer alignment between the academic and private sectors will also enhance

research and development while simply increasing exposure for players in this field can generate new

incentives and interest.

The impact of green startups in MENA could be enormous, playing a pivotal role in bringing new

dialogue and technologies to the table. Groups like Saphon Energy, Taqetna and MEI could provide

blueprints for others to follow - tailoring technologies to turn MENA's unique challenges into

opportunities and demonstrating both why and how young companies can have an impact in this

field.

Entrepreneurs Take on MENA's Water and Energy Challenges, 03/04/2013, online at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamil-wyne/entrepreneurs-take-on-men_b_3003679.html

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St. Agatha Academy students argue case for Palestinian's water rights

For some St. Agatha Academy students, a visit to a mock United Nations has turned into an

opportunity to make a real difference to the world.

We just thought we could participate in a mock UN assembly and talk about problems in the world,

and we left with a way to make a real difference, St. Agatha teacher Wendy Berryman said.

Last month, students from the school attended the YMCAs Kentucky United Nations Assembly

(KUNA), an event conducted yearly to allow students to participate in a simulated international

diplomatic three-day conference. The students emulate different cultures and attempt to represent the

interests of those nations in a mock assembly.

Finding a way to help

It was the first trip in four years for St. Agatha students, whose group represented Palestine, an area

that struggles with a lack of water. The region is considered to have a severe water shortage.

The students understanding of Palestines plight caught the eye of Joe Bringardner, the youth

outreach and partnership director for WaterStep, a non-profit organization devoted to helping

communities have sustainable water solutions.

He came over and said he saw what we were doing, said Berryman, an advisor for the student

delegation. Berryman said Bringardner, who was at KUNA to spread the word about his

organizations purpose, spoke to the students and they developed a strong desire to help.

Theyve come back with a passionate drive to help, she said.

WaterStep provides solution to the worlds water crisis, according to the groups website. The group

brings safe water to developing countries or for disaster relief. WaterStep collects old shoes, which it

then uses to fund projects such as water purification systems small enough to fit in a backpack.

Bringardner wasnt sure if WaterStep could get such a purifier into Palestine, but he could get one in

to any of the other WaterStep nations.

http://www.centralkynews.com/topic/crime-law-justice/international-law/united-nations-ORCUL000009.topichttp://www.centralkynews.com/topic/social-issues/ymca-ORNPR000242.topichttp://www.centralkynews.com/topic/intl/palestine-PLGEOREG000001.topic

We decided we were interested because it was a way to maybe really help the Palestinians, Harper

Sewalls, a St. Agatha seventh grader, said. This was a way to help and we wanted to do that.

For every 2,000 shoes collected, WaterStep can provide one water purification system to a needy

country.

That one system can provide water for about 10,000 people.

While Bringardner was trying to generate interest in WaterStep with all the KUNA participants, he

really focused on St. Agathas contingent.

They were singled out because our kids really understood and conveyed the message of what

happens to any people that dont have clean, potable water and access to the water they need, said

Tracy Miller, whose daughter Tessa, took part in the KUNA experience.

St. Agatha will have drop-off places for old shoes anything from high heels to high top sneakers

at St. Joseph Hall on South Main, Winchester First Church of God at 2500 Colby Road and the

Presbyterian Church on Bypass Road. The shoes must be in pairs and tied together or held with a

rubber band. Even worn out shoes will be taken, as those can be recycled.

The KUNA experience

The students dressed as Palestinians and tried to get a resolution passed through the assembly to run a

water pipeline through Israel to the Dead Sea. While unsuccessful, the students did receive a

Delegation of Excellence Award for their presentation, which included a dance and a 13-foot dome

that resembled the Dome of the Rock.

The students had met

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